I updated Windows on my MSI Raider GE68 HX VGG, and afterward the audio began glitching constantly while the mouse became difficult to use. After checking drivers and troubleshooting for several hours, LatencyMon suggested that I update the BIOS, so I installed the BIOS update for the exact laptop model.
After Windows restarted, it required my email password instead of accepting my PIN. I can use most of the computer, but the taskbar does not respond, File Explorer will not open, and restarting Windows Explorer through Task Manager did not help. Now neither Wi-Fi nor Ethernet provides working internet access; both report that the connection exists but there is no internet. System Restore also did not fix the connection.
Is this situation recoverable, and where might I have gone wrong? I was already considering installing Linux, originally as a dual boot on a second SSD, but I cannot afford that drive yet. Can I use a Linux live USB to access and back up the files on the Windows drive before replacing Windows with Linux?
2 Answers
Your data should still be accessible even if Windows is unusable. Create a bootable Linux USB and start the laptop in the USB's live mode rather than installing immediately. From there, you can mount the Windows partition and copy important files to your external hard drive.
After verifying the backup, you can install Linux. Since you do not have the second SSD yet, be especially careful to select the correct internal drive during installation, because a clean install will erase the Windows partitions. If you want maximum protection while installing Linux to another drive later, disconnect the Windows drive or use the BIOS boot menu to select the desired disk.
Updating the BIOS can make Windows treat the system as having undergone a significant hardware or security change. That can invalidate the stored Windows Hello PIN, so Windows may require the account password and an online verification before allowing you to create a new PIN. The PIN itself is not necessarily lost permanently.
For the network problem, try both Wi-Fi and a wired connection if possible, then run Windows' network diagnostics. Once internet access is restored, check Windows system and update files for corruption. The broken taskbar and File Explorer may be symptoms of a damaged update or Windows shell rather than a problem with your personal files.
Neither Wi-Fi nor Ethernet currently works; both say they are connected but have no internet. I also tried restoring the system to an earlier point without success, so I may use a live Linux environment to back up my files first.
Most Linux installation USBs include a live desktop, so you can test hardware compatibility and browse the Windows drive without changing anything. I would copy the important data first and only then decide whether to erase the SSD.